252: Jason Lauritsen: "Connection as the #1 Performance Booster in the Workspace"

Erik and Jason Lauritsen dig into what “connection” really means at work, what drives it, and how it translates into motivation, performance, and retention. Jason shares findings from the Human Connection Study, including why “resonance” with purpose can matter more than human-to-human rapport.

👤 About the Guest

Jason Lauritsen is CEO of Connected Performance Group and an advisor to leaders who refuse to choose between results and people. He developed Connected Performance Systems and helped publish the Human Connection Study, based on 286,000+ employee responses across 1,600+ organizations. He also authored Unlocking High Performance and speaks on cultivating high performance through connection.

🧭 Conversation Highlights

• Connection is defined as meaningful engagement with something that matters to the person, not merely relationships
• The study found two distinct types of connection, with resonance connection showing stronger correlation to performance outcomes
• Connection acts as a leading indicator for motivation and engagement, while engagement is more of a trailing indicator
• Organizational resonance and manager skills are key levers, and the “fully on-site” group reported the lowest connection

💡 Key Takeaways

• If you want impact, focus on moving people from moderately connected to highly connected, not obsessing over the most disconnected group
• Investing in connection is a cultivation shift, not a short-term tactic, and it can be implemented in everyday management moments
• Engagement and connection are related but not the same, and connection is upstream of engagement
• Physical proximity does not automatically create connection, so leaders must design connection conditions intentionally

❓ Questions That Mattered

• What is connection, really, and how do you measure it without assuming you already know?
• Why does the data show non-human-to-human “resonance” can drive work outcomes more strongly?
• What should leaders stop doing, and what should they reprioritize, to make connection possible at work?
• How can managers hold people accountable without breaking trust or turning accountability into fear?

🗣️ Notable Quotes

• “Connection is an experience of meaningful engagement with something that matters to you.”
• “Connection seems to be more of a leading indicator… engagement is on the output.”
• “It’s not an argument for remote work, it’s just evidence that physical proximity does not automatically create the conditions that connection requires.”

🔗 Links & Resources

• Follow Jason Lauritsen on LinkedIn
• Check out Jason’s Website
• Reach out to Jason via email at jason@jasonlauritsen.com
• Download the Human Connection Study Report
• The Future of Management by Gary Hamel